Imagine a quiet little Lombard piazza. That’s what architect Aldo Rossi envisioned for this space. Here stands the Monument to Sandro Pertini.
This monument honors Sandro Pertini. He served as the seventh President of the Italian Republic. The monument’s story is one of art. It is also about public reaction and civic pride.
The Monument to Sandro Pertini was inaugurated May 1st, 1990. President Francesco Cossiga commemorated the event. The Municipality of Milan commissioned it. Milanese Underground built it. Aldo Rossi received direct assignment.
Rossi was a Milanese architect. He was an influential figure. In 1990 he won the Pritzker Prize. He was known internationally.
The Sandro Pertini Bust sits at the edge of the pedestrian area. It is on Via Croce Rossa. Via Monte Napoleone and Via Alessandro Manzoni intersect here.
The monument is a fountain. It has a closed podium with three stone walls. A triangular duct sits on the back wall. Water flows from it. It falls into a basin below.
The cube measures eight meters on each side. It uses a module of fifty centimeters. The blocks are Candoglia marble. This is the same marble as the Duomo di Milano. The blocks measure 50x25x25 centimeters. The other elements use copper alloy.
Rossi saw monuments as essential. They are permanent city structures. They express collective will. He explored this theme in earlier projects. These included the Monument to the Resistance in Cuneo. Also the Monument to the Partisans in Segrate.
The cube shape references Rossi’s unrealized project. It was for a Monument to the Resistance. That earlier shrine was closed. This one opens to the public.
The Sandro Pertini Bust has sparked debate. Politicians, locals, and citizens have all weighed in. In 2010, some proposed its removal. Public opinion divided. Some supported the art. Others criticized it. A hundred artists and architects signed a petition. Articles appeared in newspapers and magazines.
The City of Milan restored the monument in 2012. They renovated the fountain system. They consolidated and redid the seals. They cleaned, protected, and patinated the architectural elements.
The Sandro Pertini Bust has become a meeting point. People sit on the steps. They read. They eat. They take photos. They share them on social media.
The Candoglia marble links to Milan’s history. It is a clear reference to the Milan Cathedral. The inscription reads: METROPOLITANA MILANESE / ALLA CITTÀ MCMXC. This means Milanese Underground / To the City 1990.
The Sandro Pertini Bust stands as a landmark. It is by one of Italy’s most important architects. It embodies both memory and modern life. It is a place for reflection and interaction.